The Writer
by Birdy21
Summary: No, Cathy didn't obsess, she was interested. And no she didn't force herself into Edmund Pevensie' life, she invited herself. She had taken it upon herself to write in between the lines; the lines Edmund managed to overlook. REPOST!


_**Disclaimer: Do not own anything whatsoever. Merely tapping into the world of C.S Lewis for leisure.**_

**A/N: This is a repost of my story The Writer which I had published under my old account, unfortunately I cannot access that account anymore so I had to make a new account. This is not plagiarism, honestly it's not. This is my own work! So since that's clear, I hope you guys will enjoy this and leave me a review. I would love to hear from you guys. It's not your typical girl-falls-into-Narnia fic. This is about grown up Pevensies in London. Hopefully it'll strike your fancy. So here is the first chapter, enjoy!**

_-Bottom: What is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?  
Quince: A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.  
__**-William Shakespeare, A Midsummer's Night Dream, act 1, scene 2**_

**Being Presumptuous **

"Cathy! I'm not sure whether this is such a brilliant idea." Louise exclaimed. I glanced at my best friend and frowned. Her blonde hair were flowing loosely though the cap she wore kept most of it out of her sharp blue eyes. I scrunched my nose. I was certain she wouldn't notice as it was too dark to make out what kind of faces I was making. It was rather cold too.

"You telling me that you don't want to do this? I thought you wanted to go? Besides, My cousin will be there." A soft blush coloured her pale cheeks and I rolled my eyes. How easy it was to manipulate my best friend when it came to my cousin, -and her obvious interest of the heart- Oliver Spencer.

The reason we were here, on the other hand, was because I had something up my sleeve, it was rather spontaneous. But well thought of, I think. I blinked a few times and brushed away my auburn hair. It was a dark night and I could not believe that the two of us were here. Or better said, doing this.

We were standing in front of the "Golden Days" pub. Rather corny name, if you ask me of course, but it referred to the Golden Days of England, obviously. I let out a sigh and narrowed my eyes, peering into the fogged up windows. Wondering whether I could see his dark, unruly hair. Now, I know that that it is questionable to be spying on someone, whom I barely knew, but I had my reasons. And they involved a rather swoon-worthy love-affair with the one and only Edmund Pevensie. The reason I'm standing in the cold, drizzly weather of London. The reason I had dragged my best friend Louise Ainsworth to the other side of town _just_ so I could be at the same pub as he would be. Apparently, he was always here on Wednesday nights, along with his older brother Peter Pevensie.

"Well, are we going to go inside or not?" Louise asked impatiently and I snapped my head to her. I quickly nodded my head and moved to the dark wooden door.

"'Course we are, silly." I exclaimed. But my voice was drowned out by the sounds of laughter and chatter as the door swung open. The obvious hint of alcohol hung in the air and I tried not to wrinkle my nose. Was it that obvious I wasn't rather fond of it? I blinked as the thick smoke in the air burned my eyes and turned my head to Louise who was concealing her distaste better than me. I envied her ability to not wear her feelings on her sleeve.

I pointed at a safe spot in the corner and dragged her there, the two of us collapsing in our seats as the continuous overwhelming of music assaulted our eardrums. I narrowed my eyes as I shrugged out of my coat and took off my cap, running my hand through my hair swiftly. Wondering whether the curls were still in there, the ones I had so carefully arranged. Then again, I hadn't even seen him yet.

"I don't see him!" Louise commented and I nodded my head.

"Nor do I!" I responded back and she turned her to me, confusion littered all over her face.

"But I thought you said he'd be here?" She asked in puzzlement and I frowned. I didn't particularly informed Louise about my rather unhealthy _interest_ in Edmund Pevensie –obsession would've been a too big of a word for something so fickle as this- and nor was I planning to. She was too level-headed to realise what I meant. "Just now!" She continued. Understanding swept over me and I realised that she wasn't talking about Edmund. No she was talking about my lovely cousin Spencer.

"You mean Oliver?" I asked her and she nodded quickly. I turned my head again, my eyes now convinced to see whether I could see my cousin. I hadn't told him either about my plans. Nor was I going to. Actually, I had hoped that Oliver wouldn't come tonight because as much as I'd love for Louise to pursue her feelings, I wished she wouldn't do it in front of me. Especially not when I was on my own pursue. Quest, or whatever this was.

"Well?"

"About that." I began cautiously. "We can't let Oliver see us." I told her and carefully averted her eyes. "If he caught us here, he'd surely tell on us. And I'm not sure about your parents, but mine wouldn't appreciate it if I went without a _suitor _to a pub." I spat. My parents were obsessed, it was alright to say it here, because that's what they were. Obsessed. About me getting married. However, I had a whole different plan. And marrying the love of _their_ life wasn't on my list. Propriety be damned.

Edmund Pevensie on the other hand, he was on my list.

Louise sighed. "So you tricked me? Again!" I smiled at her unapologetically.

"Well, think of it as a productive evening to spend with your best friend." She raised one of her eyebrows and I quickly shut my mouth. How looks were the window to your soul. "Oh, please don't look at me like that!"I exclaimed. "I'm sure Oliver is here, but let's not draw any attention to ourselves! Act natural!"

"Natural?" Louise exclaimed incredulously. "My dear Cathy, have you seen where we are?" She asked me. She gestured to two dark fellows who were sitting at a table behind us. I turned around and saw that they were having some kind of drinking contest. Honestly said, one looked rather green but he kept on chucking those pints as if were water. I turned around again and opened my mouth to reply but she cut me off. "This is no place for us. We shouldn't even be here and I would've never agreed had it not been for-" She cut herself off this time and a smirk coloured my face the same way as that blush on hers.

"For?" I drawled slyly. She sent me a glare.

"Oh be quiet!" She shushed me. "You know who I am talking about!" I shrugged.

"I know, though it would be rather_ refreshing_ to hear it from your mouth!" I teased her and she gave me a snobby look in return. The smile faded and my eyes drifted back to the throng of people that seemed to be carefully laced together. They all looked so incredibly comfortable. I on the other hand, and I'm pretty sure Louise too, did not.

Perhaps I hadn't thought it all the way through. But like said before, this was impulsive, spontaneous. These kind of things lead to one thing which would lead to something entirely else. I was counting on that to happen. The two of us could have this brilliant love affair. I could use some excitement in my life. And I was pretty certain he could use it too. He always looked so incredibly... bored. For a lack of better word. But that was of course because he hadn't met me. Or actually, he had. But I reckon he forgot it rather quickly because I made myself scarce when they my mother wanted to introduce me.

It was during one of her stupid charity events. Of course, the Pevensies were invited and to my excitement Edmund Pevensie had joined his family too. Which was a rare thing because he kept himself out of such events. Though I wasn't complaining about his presence here, I was complaining about my appearance. Far too excited I managed to bump into the buffet table and dunk myself in a whole lot of punch. Now, that was something I did not want to repeat so I did what I could do, which was run and not show my face.

Thankfully, he hadn't witnessed it but his older brother on the other hand, Peter Pevensie, had.

Now I did not know what was worse. Knowing that Peter would ridicule this nameless girl whom he would later on meet as his brother's wife and his sister-in-law. Or the fact that he might know me and actually would have a name to place on the poor ridiculed girl and ruin my chances at becoming Edmund's love in the first place.

"Cathy, we should go." Louise interrupted my inner-monologue and I turned my head to her. I grimaced and shook my head.

"Please, let's just stick around for a while." I pleaded and she gave me a curious look.

"Why are you so determined to stay here, Cathy? What are you hiding?" She leaned forward on her forearms as they rested on the wooden table, the one I kept my distance at because I thought I saw the dirt linger here.

"Can't I have a bit of fun, every once and a while?"I asked her tightly and she arched one of her eyebrows.

"Catherine!" She began, using my full name. "Your idea of _fun_ is not a pub." She pointed out eloquently. "So when you drag me here, which is all the way across town for heaven's sake, I know something is wrong and _you_ my dear friend, are hiding something. So tell me what it is!" I shrugged carefully, feeling slightly cornered.

"Well..." I drawled out slowly, racking my brain to find an explanation. "Alright." I exclaimed dramatically, throwing my hands in the air. "You caught me! We are here." I pointed at her before turning my finger back to me. "Because Oliver asked me to bring you here." I thanked the Lords for being such a brilliant actress. A smile erupted on Louise's face and I felt a twinge of guilt for tricking her. "He wanted to see you!" I gave her a smile.

One that faded away immediately when hers did. "Nice try, Cathy!" She said acidly. "But you just told me that we weren't even allowed to let Oliver know we're here. So you are lying. Now spill!" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her blue eyes glaring at me continuously.

"Cathy! _What_ are you doing here?" Oliver Spencer's voice penetrated my eardrums and I spun around to be confronted with the angry look on his face. I smiled sheepishly, trying to ignore the fact that he wasn't happy to see me.

"Ollie!" I exclaimed excitedly and I embraced him tightly. "We thought we'd join you tonight." I pointed at Louise and it was remarkable to see how his whole posture, not to mention his expression, changed when his eyes settled on Louise. She dropped her eyes to the floor briefly before giving him a tentative smile. He looked gobsmacked, lacking a better term to describe his expression. I let out a sigh.

"Louise." Oliver planted his hand on the back of his neck as I could see the tips of his ears tinge red. Oh how easy it was to make him blush. An evil smirk appeared on my face and I poked at his ribs with my index finger.

"When you are done staring at Louise, do you mind getting us a drink?" I asked him sweetly. He turned to me with an angry look on his face. His green eyes darkening in colour as I could see the slight shift in the air. I suppose angry wasn't even enough to label the expression on his face.

"Catherine, you can't stay here." He told me and I frowned.

"Oh yes I will. Just watch me!" I retorted and I crossed my arms in front of my chest, leaning against my seat. I knew I was slightly challenging Oliver, but God, his haughty attitude never got the right response out of me.

"I reckon this was all your doing, right?" He continued. "You dragged Louise into this?" I rolled my eyes and planted my hands on the dirty table.

"Yes." I told him firmly. "Satisfied? I brought Louise here. Because I thought she might want to see _you_." Alright, so perhaps that wasn't entirely true, but I had to tell Oliver something. And I was _not_ planning to tell the truth. "Since she's far too _proper_ to do it on her own."

"Cathy!" Louise exclaimed horrified. "Do you ever _think_ when you open your mouth?" She glanced at me with an embarrassed look on her face and I realised I had put the two of them on the spot. The same spot they've been avoiding for a long time now.

"Louise." I gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. But it's the truth. Why can't the two of you just admit it?" I let out an annoyed sigh and jumped off the stool and made my way to the bar.

"Cathy! Get back here! Catherine!" Oliver's voice got drowned out by the consistent chatter and I exhaled through my teeth. The two of them were insufferable. If it were me I would never be this subtle.

Subtly was the core of a failed romance. The reason it never worked out, because even the smartest of people wouldn't recognise subtlety, even if it smacked them in their face. And I was not kidding. I knew this by experience. I saw it on a daily basis. And this world needed love. So incredibly much it would ache. I knew this, Louise knew this, God even Oliver knew this. Although he'd rather be damned than admit that. He was far too proper to be like that. If you ask me, it was because of the stick up his arse. The one that was lodged up so far that it had taken a permanent residence there.

I manoeuvred through the throng of people with a grimace on my face. Why people came here was something I did not get. However, I was ready to make some sacrifices for love. For Edmund I mean, after all, he had to be here. Somewhere. I hadn't spotted him yet, but I was certain that in a matter of time we'd meet and he'd be overwhelmed by my presence. Peter of course would be next to him, -not recognising me from the debutante party- and things would fall into place. I sighed and scrunched up my nose when a rather foul smell penetrated my nostrils. I quickly flattened myself against the nearest wall as the continuous queue of people kept moving me aside. Why not make it easier for them?

I knew that I was being rather presumptuous but what was a girl to do? I had been flaunting myself around him as subtly as possible, which was of course the kiss of death, even before it began. But he never even glanced backwards. No matter what I did. At some point I even tried bumping into him. Which worked as well as it would. The tall corridors of King's College at Cambridge did not hold the same interest as I would. Or so I thought, because I had _oh so conveniently _bumped into him and dropped my books last Tuesday. No response...

Well, that is if you didn't count the fact that I accidently dropped my books on his foot and instead of looking at me he was far more busy nursing his foot back to health. I sighed and pulled away from the wall again. Somewhere from my peripheral sight I saw a free spot at the bar and I quickly made my way to it. Pushing away a rather thick fellow holding a pint.

"Oi, watch it lady!" I didn't even respond to that. My eyes had zeroed in on the only unoccupied piece of space and I pushed myself against the counter with a relieved smile, realising I had made it.

"What can I get you, love?" The bartender gave me a friendly smile. My own wasn't as nice as I wanted it to be though I was sure he had not noticed.

"Uhh..." I blinked. What did I want? "Nothing, thank you." He frowned but nodded and moved away. I wasn't that big of a drinker and as much as I would love to, I would not drink a pint. Perhaps one sip. I'd ask Oliver but he was somewhere wooing Louise I hoped.

" 'Ello love, haven't seen you here before." I shifted in my seat and gave the stranger, who smelled awful by the way, a glare. "Ey Evan! Look at that." He yelled something and before I knew it a rather skinny ginger appeared and his blue eyes levelled onto mine. I raised one of my eyebrows. "Have you ever seen such a lovely face?" The man reached out to me and I flinched moving away.

"I don't know, Charlie. Haven't seen much of her, have we?" Evan replied and I narrowed my eyes at the innuendo. Charlie laughed out loudly. I wondered if that would attract some attention but every sound was drowned out by everyone else. So I suppose it did not matter at all.

"What's your name love?" Evan asked and I rolled my eyes turning around.

How could I attract unwanted attention from this random guy whom I did not even know. Yet manage to get Edmund Pevensie ignore me? Even when I dropped my books on his foot he did not notice. The least he could've done was look at me? Instead, he cussed in a rather colourful language and turned around. Ignoring me further.

A hand on my shoulder pulled away that embarrassing thought again and I turned around. "Look." I began. "As lovely I think this is, I am not in the least intere-" I cut myself off when I realised that it was Oliver.

"Cathy!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing?" He demanded, nudging his head to the two, slightly confused men. An idea washed over me. If there was one thing I could do to anger Oliver, it was act irrational. And how I was going to love do this.

"Ollie!" I exclaimed happily. "Have you met my new friends Evan and..." I racked my brains for answers.

"Charlie." The ginger supplied and I shot him a dazzling smile.

"Right, Charlie. Have you met them?" Oliver glanced backwards and turned back to me with a slight disgusted look on his face.

"Whatever, Cathy. Now come on. You are going home." He ordered me and I frowned.

"No I'm not! Now don't be mean to Charlie and Evan. They're rather entertaining. As a matter of fact, Evan, entertain my dear cousin." I slightly tapped Oliver's cheek before pushing him into Evan's direction. "I'm sure he'd love to hear loads from you. Especially since the two of you."I pointed between Charlie and Evan. "Are you incredibly brilliant at wooing girls. Perhaps you could teach my lovely cousin some tricks..." Cause he was awful at it. Oliver sent me a glare and I knew I would hear of this later but I could not pass this over. I had to get away from Oliver's scrutinising glare. I had a mission to accomplish. A new romance to think of. A love to act upon. Whatever it was.

A smile erupted on Evan's face as he eyed Oliver and I realised that both Evan and Charlie truly were drunk and had no clue what they were doing. I grinned. This was easier than thought. They had given me an opening in a matter of seconds.

"Cathy, get back here." Oliver hissed. His ears tinged red again, only this time it was in anger. How I loved ticking off my self-righteous cousin. "Cathy!"

"Don't worry. You're in good hands." I quickly turned around and ignored Oliver's pleas to come back and I moved to the other side of the pub. The bar long left forgotten.

If only Oliver could learn to live a little. To let go. Finally do something about Louise, perhaps I could've been honest to him... Or not. God, who was I kidding? I couldn't even tell Louise that I was interested in Edmund Pevensie. In her eyes she didn't even realise that I knew they existed. For some reason she thinks I don't live on planet earth but somewhere on cloud nine. Now tell me, who knows more about love?

Louise, who has the emotional range of a teaspoon? And yes, I am not kidding. She refuses to read silly romance novels because it's not _logical_? Yes, do hear me. How can love not be logical. You either love a person or you do not. As simple as that. I suppose she's just a bit of a bore. How she fell for my cousin I'll never realise. After all, she thinks its illogical. Marriage was not made for love, no, it was pure convenience. Well, I was planning to love. Which is probably why I'll end up like an old maid if I do not do something now.

I had to make someone fall in love with me. And Edmund was perfect. First of all, I was interested in him because there's something that attracts the eyes. If you catch my drift of course. Not to mention he'd probably be the only one that looks slightly similar to the Mr. Darcy I've been picturing ever since I was little. Every woman needs a Darcy in her life. I had chosen mine.

Now he had to choose me as his Lizzie. And we'd both be happy ever after.

I sighed.

I had to find him first, of course that was easier said than done because I had never known that a pub could be this crowded. I pushed myself on my toes, trying to see over the crowds heads. See if I could find that unruly pack of hair that I found interesting. I dropped myself back on my heels and quickened my pace. How hard was it to find someone? The pub couldn't be that big? Or could it?

"Catherine!" Louise's voice came from my left and I spun on my heel just to see her look at me confused. "Where is Oliver? I thought he was with you." I had completely forgotten about Louise.

"Uh, right!" I blinked. "I'll go get him." I lied and I turned around finding this claustrophobic pub getting smaller and smaller. I was running out of time. How could that have happened? This wasn't how I had pictured my night to be.

I could feel the air of frustration swirl above my head. Like an angry cloud, ready to be unleashed. So was I. I hadn't gone through all that trouble for nothing. I had dragged Louise to the other side of town for pity sake. Have some mercy upon me! I pushed my way to the bar again and was surprised to see Oliver gone. And so were Evan and Charlie.

Oh dear!

Something tugged at the back of my dress and I found myself pushing myself backwards again. Trying to get out of the way but my left foot got caught and at some point I was staring at the pub from a different angle. An angle I did not want in the first place. I gasped out loudly and waited for the blow as gravity pulled at my body. My eyes already shut.

Something wrapped itself around my waist and held me up. The slight change in equilibrium made me frown and I murmured something incoherently as I grasped the fabric that held me up.

"Oi, Ed!" A rather familiar voice said. "What you got there?" I opened my eyes with a snap and found them staring into the dark orbs of no one else but Edmund Pevensie.

Now that was not how I had planned it to go.

**A/N: How was it? Leave me your thoughts in a review :)**_  
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